Oligosaccharide syrup having improved stability

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a saccharide syrup composition comprising an organic acid or its salt and an oligosaccharide, and more specifically, the saccharide syrup composition comprises allulose.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a saccharide syrup compositioncomprising an organic acid or its salt and an oligosaccharide, and morespecifically, is a saccharide syrup composition comprising an organicacid, which prevents decomposition of an oligosaccharide comprised inthe saccharide syrup composition, or its salt and an oligosaccharide,and the saccharide syrup composition may comprise allulose.

BACKGROUND ART

Sweeteners have been used as additives in foods and the like for a longtime, and natural sugars such as sugars, fructose and glucose are widelyused in beverage, food, pharmaceutical and oral hygiene/cosmeticindustries due to their good tastes. In particular, sugar is widely usedbecause it gives a desirable taste to consumers.

Sugar has excellent sweetness, and therefore it has been considered asthe most preferable sweetener to enhance the taste of food and increasethe taste by being added to various foods and processed foods, etc. fromthe past. However, recently, a problem has been raised as theharmfulness of sugar continues to be revealed.

As one of solutions to solve adult diseases, obesity, etc. which havebecome a problem in the world recently, various policies for reducingsugar consumption of their own nation in many countries including Koreahave been implemented. Herein, unless otherwise stated, the term“saccharide reduction” means that the content of monosaccharides such asglucose, fructose, sucrose, etc. and disaccharides which are known toincrease the risk of occurrence of obesity, diabetes, cardiovasculardiseases, other various adult diseases when overdosed is lowered, and inthis case, the “saccharide” does not include rare saccharides such asallulose and the like.

Specifically, as excessive intake of sugar is pointed out as a majorcause of various lifestyle diseases such as obesity, diabetes as well ascavities, etc., the necessity of development of sweeteners which canreplace it has been emerging all over the world. Recently, varioussweetener materials have been developed.

Allulose is an epimer of carbon number 3 in fructose, and has sweetnessequivalent to 70% of fructose and it is functional sugar which controlsblood sugar, prevents cavities and inhibits lipogenesis in liver. Sugaralcohols, which are widely used as a substitute sweetener for sugar,have side effects such as causing diarrhea when consumed over a certainamount, but allulose have no known side effects. Therefore, the interestof allulose as a sweetener has been increased.

As another saccharide, a large number of oligosaccharides (functionaloligosaccharides) have been used in food since various functionalitieshave been recognized. The oligosaccharide means a component showing thefunctionality not to be decomposed by digestive enzymes but to functionsimilar to dietary fiber and to go down into the large intestine tobecome a nutrient source of intestinal beneficial bacteria, and toimprove the colonic environment, among oligosaccharides in a form inwhich 3 to 10 monosaccharides are linked together.

In recent years, many products applying oligosaccharides, etc. have beenintroduced, but these oligosaccharides have a property of being easilydecomposed by heating conditions, etc., and thus a method for preventingdecomposition and maintaining the initial content is needed.

DISCLOSURE Technical Problem

An object of the present invention is to provide a saccharide syrupcomposition comprising an organic acid or its salt and anoligosaccharide, which prevents or reduces oligosaccharide decompositionto maintain the content of the oligosaccharide present in the saccharidesyrup during a storage period and a method for preparing thereof.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method forpreventing decomposition of an oligosaccharide present in saccharidesyrup by adding an organic acid or its salt to saccharide syrup.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide raw materialsaccharide syrup comprising an organic acid or its salt,oligosaccharides and allulose, and food, food additives, beverage orbeverage additives, functional foods applying it.

Technical Solution

One embodiment of the present invention relates to a saccharide syrupcomposition for preventing oligosaccharide decomposition, comprising anorganic acid or its salt and an oligosaccharide, and the organic acid orits salt may be comprised at a concentration of 0.001 to 1.0 wt %. Theorganic acid or its salt may be lactic acid, citric acid or ascorbicacid or salts thereof.

Another embodiment of the present invention relates to a method forpreventing decomposition of the oligosaccharide, by adding an organicacid or its salt of 0.001 to 1.0 wt %, to a saccharide syrup compositioncomprising an oligosaccharide.

The saccharide syrup composition according to the present invention maycomprise the oligosaccharide content of 80% or more, based on 100% ofthe initial content of the oligosaccharide under a storage condition ofa temperature of 45° C. during a period of 6 weeks (42 days).

The saccharide syrup composition according to the present invention mayhas an 100 to 1000 μS/cm of electrical conductivity, 0.005 to 0.2 of acolor value represented as absorbance measured at 420 nm wavelength witha spectrometer, or pH of 5.0 to 8.0.

The saccharide syrup composition according to the present invention maycomprise the oligosaccharide content of 20 to 90 wt %, based on 100 wt %of the saccharide syrup composition, and it may comprise theoligosaccharide content of 80% or more, based on 100% of the initialcontent of the oligosaccharide under a storage condition of atemperature of 45° C. during a period of 6 weeks (42 days).

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail.

The present invention is a saccharide syrup composition which maintainsthe oligosaccharide content in saccharide syrup at a certain content ormore and prevents decomposition of the oligosaccharide, by adjusting anorganic acid or its salt at a specific concentration in a saccharidesyrup composition comprising an oligosaccharide.

The property of maintaining the oligosaccharide content in saccharidesyrup at a certain content or more and preventing decomposition of theoligosaccharide may comprise the content of the oligosaccharide of 80%or more, preferably, 83% or more, 85% or more, 87% or more, or 90% ormore, based on 100% of the initial content of the oligosaccharide undera storage condition of a temperature of 45° C. during a period of 6weeks (42 days). It is preferable to set the lower limit of theoligosaccharide content to 80%, in consideration of the allowable errorof food labeling standards being 80%. Therefore, as the saccharide syrupin which an organic acid or its salt is added satisfies the condition ofthe oligosaccharide content for a long time, there is an effect ofprolonged storage period.

The saccharide syrup composition according to the present invention mayhave an electrical conductivity of 100 to 1000 μS/cm, preferably 100 to700 μS/cm, more preferably 100 to 500 μS/cm, and may have a color valuerepresented by absorbance measured at 420 nm wavelength by aspectrometer of 0.005 to 0.2, preferably 0.01 to 0.1, or may have pH 5.0to 8.0, preferably pH 5.5 to 6.5, pH 5.5 to 8.0, pH 5.5 to 7.5, pH 6.0to 8.0, pH 6.0 to 7.5, pH 6.0 to 7.0, or pH 6.0 to 6.5.

In a specific example of the present invention, it was confirmed thatthe oligosaccharide content was gradually reduced as the storage periodpassed in the experimental group in which an organic acid or its saltwas not added and the experimental group in which an inorganic acid(NaOH) was added, as saccharide syrup adjusted to the same pH condition.Oligosaccharides tends to be decomposed intensively at pH 5 or lower,and it can be seen that the above result is attributed to the fact thatthe acidity regulator inputted additionally increases the initial pH andinhibits pH decrease during the storage period. However, it can be seenthat the oligosaccharide composition does not depend on the pH conditionof the saccharide syrup only by such a result.

In addition, when using an organic acid or its salt, different from aninorganic acid, an electrical conductivity is 100 to 200 μS/cm, andthere is an effect of preventing pH changes because of a high electricalconductivity. The organic acid or its salt can prevent decomposition ofan oligosaccharide by not only regulating the acidity but also furtherproviding a pH buffer function which can minimize pH changes during thestorage period.

The organic acid or its salt usable for the present invention may be anorganic acid of one or more kinds selected from the group consisting oflactic acid, citric acid and ascorbic acid, and salt thereof. Theorganic acid salt may be sodium, potassium, calcium or magnesium of theorganic acid.

The organic acid or its salt may be comprised at a concentration of0.001 to 1.0 wt %, preferably 0.005 to 0.5 wt % or 0.01 to 0.1 wt %.

The saccharide syrup composition according to the present invention maycomprise an oligosaccharide, and as the oligosaccharides applicable forthe present invention, one or more kinds selected from the groupconsisting of fructo-oligosaccharide (FOS), isomalto-oligosaccharide(IMO), galacto-oligosaccharide (GOS), xylo-oligosaccharide (XOS),chito-oligosaccharide, cello-oligosaccharide and soy oligosaccharide maybe selected.

The fructo-oligosaccharide belongs to a compound known as inulin. Inulinis a generic term for a carbohydrate substance consisting mainly offructose residues linked via a fructosyl-fructose bond of β (2→1) type,randomly having a starting residue of glucose. Commercially availableFOS is a multi-dispersion having a number-average polymerization degreeof typically about 2 to 4. In fact, FOS is also referred to asoligo-fructose. The fructo-oligosaccharide is a raw material prepared bytransferring fructose to sugar using an invertase(β-fructofuranosidase), or by partially hydrolyzing inulin to inulinase(EC 3.2.1.7), and functional components are GF2 (kestose), GF3 (nystose)and GF4 (fructofuranosylnystose).

The syrup composition according to the present invention may comprise anoligosaccharide of 20 to 90 wt %, preferably 25 to 65 wt % or 25 to 75wt %, based on 100 wt % of the total syrup composition, and may comprisesyrup of various saccharides, preferably allulose syrup as othersaccharides.

The allulose syrup may be comprised as 10 wt % or more, 15 wt % or more,25 wt % or more, 35 wt % or more, or 50 wt % or more, based on 100 wt %of the total syrup composition, and for example, it may be 10 to 80 wt%, preferably 35 to 80 wt %, or 25 to 75 wt %.

In one example of the present invention, when the raw materialsaccharide syrup comprises allulose syrup and oligosaccharides, alluloseof 10 to 80 wt % and oligosaccharides of 20 to 90 wt % based on 100 wt %of the raw material saccharide syrup may be comprised. The raw materialsaccharide syrup may comprise a solid content of 60 to 80 Brix.

The allulose syrup may comprise glucose, fructose and saccharides ofdisaccharides or more in addition to allulose. The allulose syrup may beprepared by various methods, and preferably, it may be prepared by abiological method, for example, microbial enzyme reaction.

For example, the allulose syrup may be allulose-containing mixed sugaror be obtained therefrom, and the mixed sugar may be mixed sugarprepared by reacting one or more kinds selected from the groupconsisting of an allulose epimerase, a microbial cell of a strainproducing the epimerase, a culture of the strain, a lysate of thestrain, and an extract of the lysate or culture with afructose-containing raw material, or be obtained therefrom. The mixedsaccharide syrup may be mixed sugar comprising allulose 2 to 55 parts byweight, fructose 30 to 50 parts by weight, glucose 2 to 60 parts byweight and oligosaccharide 0 to 15 parts by weight, and the allulosesyrup may be obtained via separation, purification and concentrationprocesses from the mixed sugar. In one example of the present invention,the allulose syrup passing through separation and purification processesmay be allulose syrup which has an electrical conductivity of 1 to 50μS/cm, and is colorless or light-yellow liquid having sweetness andcomprises allulose of 10 wt % or more.

As one embodiment for preparation of allulose according to the presentinvention, an expression system capable of producing a psicose epimerasewith high expression rate and stability, a GRAS (Generally recognized assafe) microorganism using the same, and a method for preparation ofpsicose comprising a microorganism and an enzyme using the expressionsystem, etc. are described in Korean Patent Nos. 10-1318422 and10-1656063, etc. in detail.

The viscosity of the saccharide syrup composition according to thepresent invention may be adjusted in an appropriate range inconsideration of a method of use and convenience, and preferably, theviscosity measured at a temperature of 25° C. may be 5 to 100 mPa·s,preferably 10 to 30 mPa·s, 15 to 25 mPa·s or 18-20 mPa·s. To adjust theviscosity of the saccharide syrup, a viscosity regulator may be used,and preferably, the viscosity regulator may increase the viscosity ofsaccharide syrup. The viscosity regulator may have a low degree ofdispersion and solubility in allulose syrup and a dispersing agent tosolve this may be further added.

The viscosity regulator according to the present invention is acomponent to be added for viscosity regulation of the saccharide syrupcomposition, and a specific example may be one or more kinds selectedfrom the group consisting of thickening polysaccharides (hydrogel), andfor example, it may be pectin or carrageenan. Carrageenan may be addedin a relatively small amount, as the viscosity increase degree is higherthan pectin. The content of the viscosity regulator according to oneexample of the present invention may be 0.01 to 5 wt %, for example,0.05 to 1 wt %, based on 100 wt % of the saccharide syrup composition.

The dispersing agent according to the present invention is added inorder to improve the low degree of dispersion and solubility of theviscosity regulator. A specific example of the dispersing agent may beone or more kinds selected from the group consisting of disaccharides,sugar alcohols and oligosaccharides, and preferably, may beoligosaccharides. It is preferable to add the dispersing agent in apowder form. The content of the dispersing agent according to anembodiment of the present invention may be 10 to 3,000 parts by weight,for example, 50 to 2,000 parts by weight, or 100 to 1,000 parts byweight, based on 100 parts by weight of the viscosity regulator.

In one example of the present invention, the saccharide syrupcomposition may have a chromaticity of 100 to 500 IU. The numericalvalue range of the chromaticity may be adjusted by the saccharide syrupitself, or may be adjusted by adding one or more kinds of chromaticityregulators selected from the group consisting of raw sugar extracts,caramel syrup and artificial dyes. The content of the chromaticityregulator to be added may be an appropriate content in consideration ofchromaticity (IU) which each chromaticity regulator has, and forexample, the content of the chromaticity regulator may comprise thecontent of 0.0001 to 1 wt % based on 100 wt % of the saccharide syrupcomposition.

In one example of the present invention, the saccharide syrupcomposition may further comprise one or more kinds of sweetenermaterials selected from the group consisting of sucralose, rebaudiosideand stevia for regulation of sweetness. The content of the sweetenermaterials to be added may be comprised in an appropriate content inconsideration of sweetness of each material compared to sugar, and forexample, it may be comprised in a content of 0.00001 to 5 wt % based on100 wt % of the saccharide syrup composition.

The saccharide syrup comprising an organic acid or its salt,oligosaccharides and allulose according to the present invention may becommercialized as itself and the present invention relates to food, foodadditives, beverage or beverage additives and functional food.

Advantageous Effects

The saccharide syrup composition according to the present invention canprevent decomposition of an oligosaccharide present in syrup using anorganic acid or its salt and maintain the content in a certain level ormore, thereby having effects of preservation of physical properties ofthe saccharide syrup, preservation of the content of theoligosaccharide, and extension of a storage period.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a graph showing the content changes of allulose with thestorage period passage during storage of allulose syrup containing anoligosaccharide according to Example 1.

FIG. 2 is a graph showing the content changes of the oligosaccharidewith the storage period passage during storage of allulose containing anoligosaccharide according to Example 1.

MODE FOR INVENTION

The present invention will be described in more detail with thefollowing examples, but the following examples are provided as anexemplary meaning of the present invention only and are not intended tolimit the scope of the present invention.

Comparative Example 1

1-1: Saccharide Syrup Preparation

The allulose syrup used for the following examples was preparedaccording to the method disclosed in Korean Patent No. 10-1318422. Fromthe raw material containing fructose in a content of 95 wt %, theallulose syrup consisting of 24-26 (w/w) % in whichglucose:fructose:allulose:oligosaccharide=6:67:25:2 of 70 Brix wasobtained.

The obtained allulose syrup was treated by flowing through a column at aroom temperature filled with cation exchange resin, anion exchange resinand resin in which cation and anion exchange resins were mixed, in orderto remove impurities such as colored and ion components and the like.Then, using chromatography filled with calcium (Ca²⁺) type of ionexchange resin, a high purity of allulose fractions were obtained. Theallulose fractions were ion purified and concentrated, thereby preparingthe allulose syrup consisting of allulose 95 wt % and fructose 5 wt %,based on 100 wt % of the solid content of the saccharide syrupcomposition.

To 60 wt % of the prepared allulose syrup, fructo-oligosaccharide 40 wt% was added, thereby preparing the allulose saccharide syrup containingan oligosaccharide. The fructo-oligosaccharide used was product ofSamyang corporation.

The pH, color value and electrical conductivity of the allulose syruphaving allulose content of 95 wt % and the allulose saccharide syrupcontaining the oligosaccharide were measured and shown in the followingTable 1. In the following Table 1, the raw saccharide syrup contains theallulose syrup of 60 wt % and fructo-oligosaccharide of 40 wt %.

TABLE 1 Allulose syrup with 95% Raw Classification of allulosesaccharide syrup pH 4.41 4.51 color value (absorbance, 0.039 0.064 420nm) Electrical conductivity 15.13 50.94 (μS/cm)

1-2: Evaluation of Physical Properties Depending on Storage Periods

While the saccharide syrup containing 60 wt % of the allulose syruphaving allulose content of 95 wt % and 40 wt % of fructo-oligosaccharide(FOS) prepared in 1-1 was stored at a temperature of 25° C., 35° C., and45° C. for 7 weeks, the pH, color value, allulose content andoligosaccharide content depending on the storage period were measured.Specific measurement of physical properties was performed as thefollowing method.

(1) Color Value Measurement

The allulose syrup was diluted to 30BX, and using a spectrophotometer,the absorbance at 420 nm wavelength was measured. Measuring the colorvalue as the absorbance at 420 nm wavelength using a spectrophotometeris to confirm the degree of browning as yellow to brown were absorbed at420 nm and to calculate IU (Icumsa Unit) for determining the degree ofbrowning or color darkness of liquid saccharides using the absorbancevalue measured at the wavelength.

(2) Sugar Composition Analysis

The allulose syrup was analyzed by using high speed liquidchromatography (HPLC) equipped with carbohydrate analysis column Bio-radAminex HPX-87C under the following analysis conditions.

<Analysis conditions>

Injection amount: 10 μl

Column temperature: 80° C.

Flow rate: 0.6 ml/min

Mobile phase: distilled water

(3) pH Analysis

The allulose syrup was diluted to 10Bx, and using a pH measuringinstrument (SCHOTT Lab850), the pH of the saccharide syrup was analyzed.

(4) Electrical Conductivity Analysis

The electrical conductivity was measured by using InLab 731 ISMelectrode in SevenExcellence equipment of METTLER TOLEDO.

The result of evaluation of physical properties measured was shown inthe following Table 2.

TABLE 2 Storage week order Classification 25° C. 35° C. 45° C. 0 pH 4.514.51 4.51 color value 0.064 0.064 0.064 Allulose 56.27 56.27 56.27Oligosaccharide 23.98 23.98 23.98 1 pH 3.48 3.43 3.52 color value 0.0620.066 0.07 Allulose 55.3 55.5 54.6 Oligosaccharide 23.5 22.5 21.4 2 pH3.91 3.74 3.61 color value 0.066 0.073 0.091 Allulose 55.4 54.96 53.71Oligosaccharide 23.42 21.89 19.79 3 pH 4.46 4.12 3.9 color value 0.0710.084 0.1 Allulose 55.68 55.89 54.8 Oligosaccharide 23.1 21.77 18.53 4pH 4.36 4.17 3.97 color value 0.067 0.106 0.122 Allulose 56.48 55.6154.21 Oligosaccharide 22.75 21.1 16.9 5 pH 4.46 4.32 4.16 color value0.064 0.111 0.139 Allulose 56.21 55.54 53.59 Oligosaccharide 23.65 21.2715.03 6 pH 4.45 4.33 4.12 color value 0.069 0.116 0.148 Allulose 55.9455.1 53.41 Oligosaccharide 23.55 21.19 14.77 7 PH 4.33 4.2 4.03 colorvalue 0.071 0.116 0.146 Allulose 55.58 55.25 54.22 Oligosaccharide 18.7316.45 9.38

Example 1

The allulose syrup containing an oligosaccharide (containing 60 wt % ofthe allulose syrup with 95 wt % of allulose content and 40 wt % ofoligosaccharide) was prepared by the substantially same method asComparative example 1, and the aqueous solution having the concentrationof lactic acid sodium salt of 40 wt % was added so that concentration ofthe lactic acid sodium salt was 0.02 wt %, thereby preparing theallulose syrup containing an oligosaccharide.

The pH and vhromaticitye, and allulose and oligosaccharide contents ofthe prepared allulose syrup were measured by the same method asComparative example 1. The measured result was shown in the followingTable 3.

TABLE 3 Storage week order Classification 25° C. 35° C. 45° C. 0 pH 5.55.5 5.5 color value 0.059 0.059 0.059 Allulose 58.1 58.1 58.1Oligosaccharide 22.7 22.7 22.7 1 pH 5.6 5.52 5.49 color value 0.0530.061 0.083 Allulose 58 58.11 57.49 Oligosaccharide 22.69 22.62 22.33 2pH 5.51 5.45 5.41 color value y 0.055 0.07 0.103 Allulose 57.91 57.557.33 Oligosaccharide 22.39 22.34 21.84 3 pH 5.48 5.31 5.1 color value0.065 0.091 0.105 Allulose 57.94 57.46 57.19 Oligosaccharide 22.4 22.1921.69 4 pH 5.42 5.11 4.98 color value 0.073 0.11 0.128 Allulose 57.9656.99 56.5 Oligosaccharide 22.41 21.94 21.15 5 pH 5.39 5.2 4.72 colorvalue 0.077 0.121 0.151 Allulose 57.95 56.91 56.01 Oligosaccharide 22.3921.91 20.93 6 pH 5.33 5.1 4.7 color value 0.081 0.119 0.166 Allulose57.84 56.59 55.86 Oligosaccharide 22.27 21.84 20.06 7 pH 5.29 5.08 4.54color value 0.08 0.13 0.176 Allulose 57.88 56.33 55.29 Oligosaccharide22.31 21.57 19.64

In the table, the reference value was set in which the initial allulosecontent in the saccharide syrup of 56.27 wt % was set to 100, and theallulose content (wt %) depending on the storage period (week order) wasrepresented by a relative allulose content to the initial allulosecontent in the syrup and shown in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 1, theallulose content change during the storage period tended to be slightlyreduced as time passed, but there was no significant difference betweenComparative example 1 and Example 1 in which the organic acid salt as anacidity regulator was added.

As the initial oligosaccharide content in the saccharide syrup of 23.98wt % was set to 100, the relative oligosaccharide content (wt %)depending on the storage period (week order) was represented and shownin FIG. 2. As shown in FIG. 2, the oligosaccharide content change duringthe storage period tended to be reduced as time passed. The lower limitof the oligosaccharide content was set to 80% in consideration that theallowable error of food labeling standards was 80%, and the result ofthe oligosaccharide content change depending on the storage period wasanalyzed. Specifically, when stored under the severe condition of 45°C., it was confirmed that the slope of the decrease line of theoligosaccharide content in the group to which the organic acid salt wasadded was lowered about 3.5 times, compared to the control group ofComparative example 1. In addition, when the lower limit of theoligosaccharide content was set to 80%, the non-added group (without theorganic acid salt) of Comparative example 1 went off the reference valuein three weeks, but the organic acid salt-added group, of Example 1maintained the reference value for 12 weeks, which had an effect toextend the quality maintenance period to 4 times.

As shown in the results of Table 2 and Table 3, in case of Comparativeexample 1, the oligosaccharide content change under the 35° C. storagecondition was decreased by 7.5% for 7 weeks, but in the syrup of Example1 in which the acidity regulator was added, it was shown lower as 1.13%.Oligosaccharides tend to be decomposed intensively under pH 5 or lower,and this result is because the additionally inputted acidity regulatorincreased the initial pH and inhibited the pH decrease during thestorage period.

Example 2

The allulose syrup containing an oligosaccharide (60 wt % of allulosesyrup having allulose content of 95 wt % and 40 wt % of oligosaccharide)was prepared by the substantially same method as Comparative example 1,and the allulose syrup containing an oligosaccharide was prepared byadding the aqueous solution in which the concentration of citric acidsodium salt was 40 wt % so that the citric acid sodium salt was 0.02 wt%. The pH and color value, and allulose and oligosaccharide contents ofthe prepared saccharide syrup were measured by the same method asComparative example 1. The measured result was shown in the followingTable 4.

To perform the severe experiment of the prepared saccharide syrup, acidwas added to each experimental group to adjust the pH to 5.5. ThepH-adjusted syrup was stored under the storage condition at 45° C. for 2weeks, and then pH, color value, and allulose and oligosaccharidecontents of the saccharide syrup were measured by the same method asComparative example 1. The measured result was shown in the followingTable 4.

Comparative Example 1

As substantially same as Example 2 except for not adding the citric acidsalt, the allulose saccharide syrup containing an oligosaccharide wasprepared and the pH was adjusted to 4.3 by adding acid. The pH-adjustedsyrup was stored under the 45° C. storage condition for 2 weeks, andthen the pH and color value, and allulose and oligosaccharide contentsof the allulose syrup were measured by the same method as Comparativeexample 1. The measured result was shown in the following Table 4.

Comparative Example 2

As substantially same as Example 2 except for adding NaOH (sodiumhydroxide) in an amount of 0.005 wt % instead of the citric acid salt ofExample 2, the allulose syrup was prepared. When the pH of the preparedsyrup was higher than 5.5, hydrochloric acid was added to adjust the pHto 5.5. The pH-adjusted syrup was stored at 45° C., and then the pH andcolor value, and allulose and oligosaccharide contents of the allulosesyrup were measured by the same method as Comparative example 1. Themeasured result was shown in the following Table 4.

TABLE 4 Storage week Comparative Comparative order ClassificationExample 2 example 1 example 2 initial pH 5.5 4.3 5.5 color value 0.0640.039 0.072 Allulose 56.55 56.61 56.63 Oligosaccharide 24.26 24.19 24.3Electrical conductivity 172.6 50.3 83.2 (μS/cm) 1 week pH 5.3 3.9 4.9later color value 0.071 0.053 0.111 Allulose 56.52 56.59 56.54Oligosaccharide 24.1 21.88 23.64 Relative 99.34% 90.45% 97.28%oligosaccharide content compared to the initial content Electricalconductivity 180.4 68.2 90.6 (μS/cm) 2 weeks pH 5.1 3.5 4.2 later colorvalue 0.090 0.066 0.126 Allulose 56.50 5.59 56.52 Oligosaccharide 23.9418.31 21.77 Relative 98.68% 75.69% 89.59% oligosaccharide contentcompared to the initial content Electrical conductivity 181.2 74.5 93.3(μS/cm)

It was confirmed that in case of the non-added group of Comparativeexample 1, the initial pH was low and decomposition of theoligosaccharide was progressed by the pH decrease as the storage timepassed. It was confirmed that in case of Comparative example 2 in whichthe pH was adjusted by using NaOH, the pH was dramatically decreasedunder the severe experimental condition, and it was interpreted thatstrong acids and strong bases (inorganic salts) are effective foradjustment of the initial pH, but have no buffering effect.

As shown in Table 4, comparing Example 2 to which the citric acid saltwas added to Comparative example 1 which is the non-added group andComparative example 2 to which the inorganic salt was added, it seems toperform a function to prevent pH change as the electrical conductivityof the saccharide syrup of Example 2, to which the citric acid salt, wasadded was high. The allulose syrup used in the present inventionperformed a role for preventing the pH decrease and maintaining theoligosaccharide content, since pH change was severe as ionic substanceswere removed through purification and addition of the citric acid salthad a pH buffering effect.

1. A saccharide syrup composition for preventing oligosaccharidedecomposition, comprising an oligosaccharide; and an organic acid or itssalt.
 2. The saccharide syrup composition according to claim 1, whereinthe saccharide syrup has an electrical conductivity of 100 to 1000μS/cm.
 3. The saccharide syrup composition according to claim 1, whereinpH is 5.0 to 8.0.
 4. The saccharide syrup composition according to claim1, wherein the color value of the saccharide syrup composition is 0.005to 0.2.
 5. The saccharide syrup composition according to claim 1,wherein the preventing oligosaccharide decomposition is to have acontent of the oligosaccharide of 80% or more, based on 100% of theinitial content of the oligosaccharide, under storage conditions of atemperature of 45° C. and 42 days.
 6. The saccharide syrup compositionaccording to claim 1, wherein the organic acid is one or more selectedfrom the group consisting of lactic acid, citric acid and ascorbic acid.7. The saccharide syrup composition according to claim 1, wherein theorganic acid or its salt is contained in an amount of 0.001 to 1.0 wt %.8. The saccharide syrup composition according to claim 1, wherein theoligosaccharide content is 20 to 90 wt %, based on 100 wt % of thesaccharide syrup composition.
 9. The saccharide syrup compositionaccording to claim 1, wherein the saccharide syrup composition furthercomprises allulose.
 10. The saccharide syrup composition according toclaim 9, wherein the oligosaccharide content is 20 to 90 wt % and theallulose content is 10 to 80 wt %, based on 100 wt % of the saccharidesyrup composition.
 11. The saccharide syrup composition according toclaim 1, wherein the oligosaccharide is one or more selected from thegroup consisting of galacto-oligosaccharide, malto-oligosaccharide,isomalto-oligosaccharide, fructo-oligosaccharide and soyoligosaccharide.
 12. The saccharide syrup composition according to claim9, wherein the saccharide syrup composition comprises allulose syrup orpowder, and wherein the allulose is provided with a mixed saccharidecontaining allulose or the allulose is obtained from the mixedsaccharide and the mixed saccharide is prepared by reacting afructose-containing raw material with a composition for producingallulose comprising one or more selected from the group consisting of anallulose epimerase, a microbial cell of a strain producing the alluloseepimerase, a culture of the strain, a lysate of the strain, and anextract of the lysate or the culture.
 13. The saccharide syrupcomposition according to claim 12, wherein the allulose syrup isobtained from separation and concentration processes from mixed sugarcomprising allulose 2 to 55 parts by weight, fructose 30 to 80 parts byweight, glucose 2 to 60 parts by weight and oligosaccharide 0 to 15parts by weight.
 14. The composition according to claim 8, wherein theallulose is allulose syrup having an electrical conductivity of 1 to 50μS/cm.
 15. The composition according to claim 9, wherein the allulose iscolorless or light yellow allulose syrup comprising an allulose contentof 10 wt % or more based on 100 wt % of the allulose syrup.
 16. A methodfor preventing oligosaccharide decomposition, by adding an organic acidor its salt of 0.001 to 1.0 wt % to a saccharide syrup compositioncomprising the oligosaccharide.
 17. The method according to claim 16,wherein the organic acid is one or more selected from the groupconsisting of lactic acid, citric acid and ascorbic acid.
 18. The methodaccording to claim 16, wherein the oligosaccharide content is 20 to 90wt %, based on 100 wt % of the saccharide syrup composition.
 19. Themethod according to claim 16, wherein the oligosaccharide content is 20to 90 wt % and the allulose content is 10 to 80 wt %, based on 100 wt %of the saccharide syrup composition.
 20. The method according to claim16, wherein the oligosaccharide is one or more kinds selected from thegroup consisting of galacto-oligosaccharide, malto-oligosaccharide,isomalto-oligosaccharide, fructo-oligosaccharide and soyoligosaccharide.